Development and commercial exploitation of a novel fungicide designed to combat resistance in agriculture
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: School of Life Sciences
Abstract
Fungi can be devastating as pathogens of food-crops, of humans and as food spoilage organisms. There is great potential value in new, effective treatments for controlling fungal growth. Through previous BBSRC-funded work, we discovered a novel combination of two agents with greatly amplified inhibitory action against fungi. Combination treatments are highly sought as they counter drug resistance and use smaller amounts of active agents. Our subsequent Pathfinder project has identified a very promising commercial path for exploiting this technology: as a fungicide to help preserve food crops. The agricultural fungicide market was forecast to be worth $12,125 million in 2014, and is growing. Through the Pathfinder, four important agri-chemical companies have formally expressed their interest in our findings and in potential development of a new fungicide. This Follow on Fund proposal combines key technical work with commercial development in order to take the technology towards market.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Simon Avery (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Amambua-Ngwa A
(2023)
Chloroquine resistance evolution in Plasmodium falciparum is mediated by the putative amino acid transporter AAT1.
in Nature microbiology
Lalève A
(2016)
The antimalarial drug primaquine targets Fe-S cluster proteins and yeast respiratory growth.
in Redox biology
Moreno-Martinez E
(2015)
Novel, Synergistic Antifungal Combinations that Target Translation Fidelity.
in Scientific reports
Tindall SM
(2018)
Heterologous Expression of a Novel Drug Transporter from the Malaria Parasite Alters Resistance to Quinoline Antimalarials.
in Scientific reports
Vallières C
(2017)
Metal-Based Combinations That Target Protein Synthesis by Fungi.
in Advances in microbial physiology
Vallières C
(2017)
The Candidate Antimalarial Drug MMV665909 Causes Oxygen-Dependent mRNA Mistranslation and Synergizes with Quinoline-Derived Antimalarials.
in Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
| Description | New combinations of agents that inhibit fungi in a synergistic manner, and mechanisms of synergistic action. We have assessed these against diverse undesirable fungi and are extending to plant infections, anticipating that these agents may help prevent fungal spoilage of crops and/or target other undesirable fungi. |
| Exploitation Route | Application to inhibit undesirable fungi |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Chemicals Healthcare Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | Press release and TV coverage of our new fungicidal combination technology. Have secured support for a CASE studentship supported by a major agrichemical company. Another agrichem company has undertaken 2nd round of in-house tests with the technology. A further follow-on proposal has been awarded, focused on protection of commercial materials from fungal deterioration. A subsequent focus informed by this project has been on bioactives free polymer technology for blocking fungal attachment. A patent application on that has been filed. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Healthcare |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Description | Agri-Food Seeding Catalyst |
| Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 510883 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2017 |
| End | 02/2018 |
| Description | BBSRC IAA |
| Amount | £24,324 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/S506758/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2018 |
| End | 07/2019 |
| Description | British Mycological Society - Undergraduate Summer Bursary |
| Amount | £1,850 (GBP) |
| Organisation | British Mycological Society |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2017 |
| End | 08/2017 |
| Description | EPSRC-GCRF Pump Priming |
| Amount | £11,940 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/R512849/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2017 |
| End | 03/2019 |
| Description | Effect of adjuvants on uptake into fungi |
| Amount | £30,720 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | R00852 |
| Organisation | Syngenta International AG |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Start | 01/2022 |
| End | 06/2022 |
| Description | Hermes Fellowship, 2016 |
| Amount | £25,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2016 |
| End | 06/2016 |
| Description | ICP CASE studentships and S |
| Amount | £126,696 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/P504671/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2016 |
| End | 09/2020 |
| Description | Improving the nutritional quality of future protein |
| Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Quorn Foods Limited |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2019 |
| End | 06/2023 |
| Description | MICRA Commercialisation Development Grant Award |
| Amount | £9,375 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | CDGA 192040 |
| Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
| Department | Research England |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2020 |
| End | 03/2020 |
| Description | Newton Bhabha PhD Placement Programme |
| Amount | £10,200 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 269661255 |
| Organisation | British Council |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2017 |
| End | 12/2017 |
| Description | Newton Fund Researcher Links |
| Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 2017-RLWK8-10388 |
| Organisation | British Council |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2018 |
| End | 01/2019 |
| Description | Seeding Catalyst Award |
| Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/SCA/Nottingham/17 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2017 |
| End | 02/2018 |
| Description | Syngenta industrial partnership (CASE) studentship |
| Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | RIS121908 |
| Organisation | Syngenta International AG |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Start | 09/2016 |
| End | 06/2022 |
| Title | ANTIFUNGAL COMPOSITION/TREATMENT |
| Description | An antifungal composition comprising an. agent that affects the availability of functional amino acids and either i) another agent that affects the availability of functional amino acids or ii) an aminoglycoside antibiotic. |
| IP Reference | WO2016151293 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2016 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | ICP-CASE studentship funded by Syngenta/BBSRC. Currently 2nd round of trials underway by Dupont Ltd. Early engagement with several other companies. |
| Title | Materials chemistries and microtopographies and uses thereof |
| Description | Polymer materials that resist attachment of fungi |
| IP Reference | GB2002011.1 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2020 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | Not yet |
| Description | BBSRC-FAPESP workshop Sao Paulo, Understanding and managing resistance, including novel methods, for pathogen and pest control |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | BBSRC funded participation in this workshop in Brazil, to establish new partnerships |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Conference organiser |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Conference organiser, British Mycological Society Main Meeting |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Fungicide combinations for inhibiting pathogens and other undesirable fungi - University of Putra, Malaysia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Research seminar |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Inaugural lecture: 101 Ways to kill a fungus |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Inaugural lecture, open to the general public - several attended. Several student contacts since seeking research projects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Stressors on Yeasts and Filamentous Fungi - Univ Manchester |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Research talk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Unilever visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Research collaboration presentation |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Water resilience and food security in Ghana |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Intended to promote new research collaborations towards future funding opportunities, e.g., GCRF |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I co-organised a UK-Brazil researcher links 3-day workshop on the fungal threat to food security, which took place at Univ. Sao Paulo in Sept 2018 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.britishcouncil.org.br/events/researcher-links-workshop-food-security |